Various types of flame simulating assemblies, such as electric fireplaces, are known. Many of the prior art flame simulating assemblies include a simulated fuel bed which resembles a burning solid combustible fuel, as well as embers and ashes resulting from the combustion. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 566,564 (Dewey) discloses an electric heating apparatus with a cover (B′) which “is made . . . of a transparent or semitransparent material” (p. 1, lines 50-52). The cover is “fashioned or colored” so that it resembles coal or wood “in a state of combustion when light is radiated through it” (p. 1, lines 53-57).
However, the use of a cover or a (partially translucent shell) such as the cover disclosed in Dewey to imitate burning solid combustible fuel has some disadvantages. First, a portion of the shell typically is formed to simulate the fuel (e.g., logs), and another portion of the shell simulates an ember bed (i.e., embers and ashes) which results from combustion of the fuel. For instance, where the combustible fuel to be simulated is wood in the form of logs, the logs are simulated in the shell by raised parts which are integral to the shell, rather than pieces which are physically separate from the ember bed. Because it is evident from even a cursory observation of this type of prior art simulated fuel bed that the raised parts (i.e., simulated logs) are actually formed integrally with the simulated ember bed part of the shell, this type of simulated fuel bed tends to detract from the simulation effect sought.
Another disadvantage of the prior art results from characteristics of the typical light source which is intended to provide light which imitates the light produced by glowing embers in a real fire. In the prior art, the same light source is often used to provide both a flame effect (i.e., to simulate flames), and an ember simulation effect (i.e., to simulate glowing embers). However, the characteristics of light from embers are somewhat different from those of light from flames. For instance, embers generally tend to glow, and pulsate, but flames tend to flicker, and move. Because of these differences, attempts in the prior art to use the same light source to provide a flame simulation effect and a burning ember simulation effect have had somewhat limited success.
Also, the positioning of the light source intended to provide the ember simulation effect is somewhat unsatisfactory in the prior art. In a natural fire, most glowing embers are located on partially-consumed fuel, and the balance of the glowing embers are located in the ember bed. However, in the prior art, the relevant light source is positioned somewhat lower than the simulated fuel portions, i.e., beneath the shell. Accordingly, because the light which is simulating the light from glowing embers is located well below the shell, an observer can easily see that the light does not originate in the vicinity of the raised portions representing logs, but instead is originating from below the shell. In this way, the usual location of the light source in the prior art undermines the simulation effect.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,285,535 (Schlett) discloses an attempt to address the problem of the fuel parts being obviously integrally formed with the simulated ember bed. Schlett discloses a “fireplace display” including “an arrangement of actual fuel or of a fuel imitation . . . such as imitation wood logs” (p. 1, lines 22-24). In Schlett, therefore, the problem of the simulated logs appearing unrealistically to be part of the simulated ember bed is apparently addressed by the “fuel” (i.e., either actual logs or imitation logs, and also either actual lumps of coal or imitations thereof) being presented as discrete physical entities in the absence of an ember bed (as shown in FIG. 2 in Schlett). Also, Schlett does not disclose any attempt to simulate glowing embers in the fuel.
WO 01/57447 (Ryan) discloses another attempt to provide a more realistic simulated fuel bed. Ryan discloses “hollow simulated logs”, each of which includes an ultraviolet light tube (p. 11, lines 25-27). The simulated logs are described as preferably being made from cardboard tubing, but also may be constructed in other ways (p. 12, lines 18-27 and p. 13, line 1). An ember simulator is provided which is painted with fluorescent paint (p. 18, lines 4-6). Also, silk flame elements, meant to simulate flames, are treated so that they fluoresce when exposed to ultraviolet light from the ultraviolet light tubes positioned in the cardboard tubing. The tubing includes apertures to permit exposure of fluorescent elements to ultraviolet light from inside the tubing. However, the tubing appears unrealistic in appearance, and the fluorescing portions would appear to be unconvincing imitations of flames and embers, which would generally not be fluorescent in a natural fire.
In addition, the flame simulating assemblies of the prior art typically do not provide for control, beyond activation and de-activation, of the light sources providing images of flames or other light sources. In particular, prior art flame simulating assemblies do not typically include controls which provide for increases or decreases in the intensity of the light provided by one or more light sources in relation to ambient light intensity.
There is therefore a need for a simulated fuel bed to overcome or mitigate at least one of the disadvantages of the prior art.